


When It Doesn't Fall

by Azreael



Series: Falls 'verse [1]
Category: Inception (2010)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-11
Updated: 2013-10-18
Packaged: 2017-11-14 01:23:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 12
Words: 22,794
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/509815
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azreael/pseuds/Azreael
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The top spins. He stares at it, it still spins. his children draw him away from the spinning top. Someone takes the top before he can realize that it didn't fall. When he turns around, he doesn't remember what he is looking for.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Unthinkable

He spins the top. He stares at it intently. It has to fall. Another older man in the room calls to two children. The children take all of the man's attention. Too much to notice, the top doesn't fall.

***

She blinks. It takes her a few seconds to realize where she is. She is in a plane on the way to the United States. The team just successfully completed inception. But there were complications. She looks at her team member's faces. There is nothing happy there, so she knows what she is going to see next. In the chair, He is still asleep. Cobb is stuck in Limbo.

Her heart sinks. It takes her a few seconds, minutes, hours, she doesn't know how long, to let this fully sink in. Cobb didn't make it. She has felt nothing worse than this in her life. The silence was heart breaking. It needed to end.

"What do we do know?" her voice cracked as she asked the inevitable question. She clears her throat, trying to compose herself. She does not succeed.

No one said anything for a few minutes, so the voice they heard next surprised them all, "I can still get Cobb into the country."

It was Saito. Saito had made it back but Cobb hadn't. This was even more disturbing because they were in Limbo, together. No one thought Cobb could get stuck there. It wasn't possible. It couldn't happen, not to Cobb.

The voice that spoke next was Arthur. "I am afraid that does not matter now. We wont be able to get Cobb out of the plane without being noticed. It is all over." This was a rare moment of weakness for Arthur. Another indication of how dire their situation was.

Cobb. The brilliant extractor, who had done everything he could to get back to his children. Who took the impossible job and succeeded. Who was now not here to get back to his life, everything that he worked for. He was stuck in limbo. Stuck there with nothing to hold him to reality. Stuck in just the endless space of his mind. Alone.

"Not necessarily." Eames spoke, with a nearly noticeable gilt of hope in his voice.

"Eames. Just don't. No one is in the mood." Arthur groaned.

"Just shut up for a second," Eames snapped, "I actually have a plan. Could we sneak him out of the plane in one of the stewardess's carts?"

"Well it is worth a try." Admitted Arthur.

"God damn it Arthur it is worth so much more than just a try. This is Cobb. He has given us so much. We could do everything we can to get him back and it still wouldn't be enough. So this is worth more than a god damn try." Yelled Eames.

Eames sudden out burst surprised Arthur. He had never seen Eames this serious. Never. He only managed to nod.

Ariadne was still shocked at how fast everything is happening. It was a good thing that Fisher was still sedated. He would be waking up soon, which meant they had to work fast. It was a good thing that Saito owns the airline, or else they would have never been able to get the cart.

This was all too surreal. Cobb stuck in limbo. Trying to get Cobb's body into a stewardess's cart with out breaking any of his bones. Ariadne has knocked over her bishop an uncountable number of times in the past five minutes. There was just no way that this could be real, but her bishop clanking against the tray every time proved her otherwise.

They were still trying to fit Cobb into the cart. It was harder then they first anticipated. Eames and Arthur were moving like robots. There were no humans there. Ariadne couldn't watch any longer. There was a nagging part of her telling that this was her fault. She was the one who went with the kick, and left Cobb there alone.

But the rational part of her brain was telling her that it was Cobb's choice to stay there. He was the one who wanted to stay and try to save Saito. She was going to have nightmares about this for months, if she could still dream.

They had finally gotten Cobb to fit inside of the cart. Not without injury though. They thought he at least had a broken wrist and ankle. It was a good thing too the got him in when they did. Fischer had started to stir. For him, this would all just be a dream.

The first class stewardess took the cart back to the kitchenette. The cart would stay there until they landed. For now they all had to sit down and buckle up for landing. It seemed to take hours when in reality it only took five minutes to complete their descent. Reality. Reality hurt.

***

They made it off the plane. They had the stewardess take the cart off while the rest of the team went through customs. The made it through without a sideways glance. The little idea of a plane they had was going well so far, as well as a plan that involved sneaking a 'comatose' man into the country could. Now they just needed to figure out where they were going and how they were going to get there.

This was all too much for Arthur. He was not normally this unorganized. But this was Cobb. Cobb was stuck in limbo. Arthur was surprised that they weren't attracting any suspicious glances. He knew how the others looked, like they were in such complete shock and denial. He could only imagine how he looked. He had known Cobb the longest. He knew Mal before Mal knew Cobb.

Thankfully the airline was able to lend them a company car. That way it didn't look too suspicious loading the cart into the back of a van. Oh how Arthur was kidding himself. How does loading a stewardess's cart into the back of a van in the front of an airport not look suspicious? But they didn't really have a choice did they? This was they only way that they were getting Cobb out of here. He stopped at an empty table in a cafe. He cast his totem. It landed on four. This was reality after all.

They figured they would try to reduce suspicions by splitting up in the airport. This made them all vulnerable but they didn't have a choice. Someone was bound to notice that seven people got on the plane in first class and only six of them got off.

He had reached the van. The stewardess was there with the cart. Ariadne arrived seconds after him and Eames and Yusef were right behind her. It took Arthur, Eames, and Yusef to get the cart in the back of the van. Saito went his own way. Eames is going to drive and Yusef is going to sit on the passenger side. Arthur and Ariadne were in the back keeping the cart from moving too much. They all got in. They still had no idea where they were going.


	2. What Is Next

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Team needs to figure out what they are going to do.

The team decided on a Posh five star hotel in the middle of LA to make their base. They needed the privacy. It was not ideal but it would do. Their base room was 528. They had nothing to do with that. They each had separate rooms on separate floors just to be safe. Everything was going well, except for the fact that Cobb was still in Limbo.

"We need to get Saito in here now," Arthur told the team, "we need him to tell us what happened down there. The sooner he tells us the sooner we can go down there and get Cobb before it was too late." Arthur was frustrated. He is furiously pacing around the room. They were cutting it close. None of them knew exactly how fast time moved in Limbo. Eames left the room to call Saito. Arthur needed to leave too. The atmosphere in the room was unbearable. He left the bedroom where Cobb was located, lying on the bed lifeless, and went into the living room. Ariadne followed.

"This isn't your fault Arthur," she told him. She was across the room by the door; he was sitting on the couch. He assumed she wanted to give him some space and she was grateful for that.

"Only if I had been better at my job, I would have seen that Fischer had been trained. So he wouldn't have had to go down there anyways." He was talking more to himself, convincing himself that he was a bad person.

"It wouldn't have mattered. Mal came and shot Fischer. He would have had to go down anyways."

"But he stayed for Saito," he trailed off, drowning in his own subconscious.

"No it wasn't!" she was yelling now, "You need to stop blaming yourself! I was the one who left with the kick. I could have stayed and helped him, so he would know he was in limbo, so he could get out."

"Ariadne, this was most definitely not your fault."

"You saying that make you a hypocrite." She says, trying to get through to him.

Arthur thinks about this, what she is trying to say is finally starting to get through to him. Cobb chose to do this. He didn't have to but he did. This was Cobb's fault, his subconscious was telling him, He chose to stay down there. He left it up to us to get him out. The rational part of Arthur knew that this wasn't true. No one is perfect; you cannot predict the effects of Limbo, even Cobb.

Arthur was starting to feel more like him self again. He tried to fix his messy hair. It was sticking out in every direction, stiff from the gel. His jacked was wrinkled and sprawled over the chair next to him. His shirt wasn't tucked. This was the messiest he has been in his life. He felt especially unkempt with everyone around him, to see him like this. He hurried to make himself look butter but did not succeed. He sighed and eventually gave up. He walked out of the room and into the bathroom to appraise himself. He ignored Ariadne, embarrassed with himself. He was too out of sorts to care about her feelings right now.

He looked at himself in the mirror. I look like shit, he thought to himself. All he really wanted to do was take a long, hot, shower but he heard Eames coming back into the room. He quickly combed his hair back and tucked his shirt in. He didn't think that he was ready yet to be seen by other people but he really didn't have a choice.

When I went back out he saw that Eames had come back with Saito.

"Ok Saito," Arthur said, interrupting various small conversations, "I need you to tell me everything that happened in Limbo. Before and after Cobb arrived."

Everyone looked intently at Saito, and then he began, "When I first fell into Limbo I fell into the shore of my subconscious. There is literally land, than water as far as the eye can see. What was left of Cobb's world was no longer there. The kick destroyed it. What was left were partial memories of a forgotten dream of a life that I once had."

They were mesmerized by his words.

"It was the dream from the Cobol job. It felt familiar but I couldn't put a finger on it. I lived out my life like it was real. I thought it was real. I grew to be an old man in his twilight years," This worried Arthur. He couldn't predict the emotional effects that this could have on Cobb, growing old and coming back to youth twice. Especially after what happened to Mal.

"Then Cobb came. He didn't know where he was. Either did I, until I saw the top. I spun it, and it didn't fall. It sparked a memory in both of our minds," Arthur could sense the Saito was leaving out some details but he knew Saito would tell him if he thought it was important to getting Cobb back, "that was when we started to realize where we were. I had a gun. I shot myself through the head. I thought he did to. I was very surprised when he didn't wake up."

Everyone was shocked by his words. None of them had been lost in Limbo before so this was all new. Arthur was surprised that Saito didn't show any visible emotional damage. Then, Arthur realized something that shattered any hope he had been feeling about getting Cobb back.

"Based on what you told us Saito, Cobb could have already died in Limbo, so we could never get him back," Arthur's worst nightmares were coming true. Everyone seemed to take in what Arthur had just said. The crushing ominous mood laid over them once more. Well, for everyone except for Eames.

"Not necessarily," Eames interrupted everyone's panicked thoughts. Arthur opened his mouth to snap at Eames but shut it again. Eames was proving to be more useful then Arthur was so he let Eames continue, "based on what Saito told us it looks like time moves at a different pace for different people in Limbo."

Everyone just looked at him with glassy, confused, looks so he continued, "The first time Cobb was stuck in Limbo with Mal he was stuck there for almost a week in reality and he only aged about fifty or so years. Saito was only there for about an hour in reality and he also aged about fifty years."

Arthur just stared at Eames with his mouth open. This didn't go unnoticed, "Darling, you may think I am not that smart but you have to give me some credit."

This gave Arthur new hope, "that means that we have two or three more days to come up with a plan before we have to go in and get him."

This gave them all hope. The ominous mood was replaced by one of hope and excitement. This gave them all a chance to get a good night sleep before having to get Cobb. Also it gave them time to create a plan. The better the plan the more likely they are to succeeded. It gives the more time for specificity. Not that Arthur will be getting any sleep. There is too much on his mind. In general though he doesn't get more than three or four hours of sleep a night. Ever since he dropped out of the military he has had trouble with insomnia. Too many bad memories that wont be forgotten. He is surprised that those memories have not come back to haunt him yet. Eames snaps him out of his thoughts and back into reality.

"Ok my darlings it is pretty late," it was almost midnight by now, "and I am just a tired sitting duck, so I am going to head off to sleep. I suggest you all do the same and we meet back here tomorrow. Which means, you all leave because I am staying here with Cobb."

Until Eames had mentioned it, Arthur hadn't realized how tired he was. It had been a long 48 hours. Everyone murmured their goodnights and trickled out of the room. Arthur and Ariadne got into the elevator together. A comfortable silence filled the short ride up. Arthur was getting off when Ariadne followed him.

"Do you need something Ariadne?" he asked with a hint of annoyance. He wasn't in the mood to deal with her right now.

"Nope. This is my floor," she replied.

"Eames was supposed to put us all on separate floors for safety," Arthur growled. They both stopped at their doors. They were next to each other, and adjoining.

"I am going to kill you Eames," he muttered to himself.

Ariadne laughed, "Goodnight Arthur."

"Goodnight Ariadne," he grumbled as he walked into his room.

After he got in and closed the door he mumbled a few more hearable things to himself along the lines of "by doing this Eames is putting all of our safety in danger," and "I can't believe that bastard. Was he trying to by funny?"

Once he was done mumbling to himself and had a chance to calm down he actually looked around at his surroundings for the first time. Eames had picked the hotel not Arthur and he had made a pretty good choice. There was one king sized bed, two couches, a kitchenette, a desk and chair, and a bathroom. The carpet was a beige, which Arthur imagined used to be white, and the walls were a dark reddish maroon color. It was actually nice looking. With a five star hotel you get the nice but you also get the price.

Arthur realized that if he rhymed to himself he must be really tired. He quickly got undressed and took a warm shower before getting into his pajama bottoms. He never wore a top because he gets too hot. He crawled under the covers and fell asleep almost instantly.

***

Arthur's sleep was not long lived. He woke up and looked at the clocked. It read three AM. He had been tossing and turning for an hour already. Is it impossible for a man to get some sleep once in a while? He decided to get out and sit on the balcony for a few minutes, get some fresh air and try to go back to sleep.

The cool summer air outside was oddly soothing. The small wisps of wind caressed his bare chest. He sat down and snuggled into one of the cushioned lounge chairs. He sat there and stared at the stars deep in thought for a few moments when a voice interrupted his calm thoughts.

"You couldn't sleep either?" The voice asked. Arthur looked around trying to find the source of the disturbance. When he found it he was surprised. Ariadne too could not sleep, and was out on her balcony.

"Naw. How long have you been standing out here?" he asked.

"About an hour or so. I couldn't sleep. I have too much on my mind. Fresh air always helps me clear my head."

Arthur was the same, "You should be sleeping. We needed to be fully focused tomorrow to start formulating a plan to get Cobb back."

"You should be telling yourself that. Do you have any idea how load you talk in your sleep?"

His face turned a red, "What did I say?" He was almost afraid to know.

"Oh nothing too bad," she told him. He could imagine her winking. She probably did.

"Really Ariadne, I don't feel like joking around right now."

"Fine," she chuckled, "I really couldn't make out what you were saying but if I didn't know you any better I would have thought you were shagging a few girls in there."

"Oh god. You are starting to sound like Eames." If possible his face turned an even deeper shade of red. He thanked god that it was still dark out.

"I wonder what Cobb is doing now?" Asked Arthur, looking up at the stars.

***

The older man in the room walked over to where the spinning top was. He looks over and sees how happy the younger man is with his children. He picks up the still spinning top and puts it in his pocket before the young man has time to see that it didn't fall.

***

"You need to stop worrying about him Arthur he will be fine," Ariadne reassured Arthur.

He shook his head. He wasn't sure he believed it.

"This is Cobb, the best extractor in the world. He doesn't need you to baby him. He can take care of himself. Whether he knows he is in Limbo or not, he is an adult, and can deal with himself." Arthur knew Ariadne was right. It was just hard not to worry.

Arthur sat and thought for a few minutes. Ariadne waited patiently for him to say something. He thought long and hard about what he was going to do. About Cobb and the emotional trauma he is going to go through. He made only one definite decision, "You are going to have to be one of the people to go get Cobb," Arthur told Ariadne.

Ariadne gasped. Arthur could tell that this was not what she had expected him to say so he continued on to explain, "Either me or Eames will come with you but you have to be on of the people to go. You know the most about what Cobb went through with Mal, the most about his inner demons. Even more than me," sometimes he resented her for that, "You are most likely to know where Cobb will be because you have been there before."

"But Saito said that Cobb's world was destroyed."

"But you knew where everything was. Who says he isn't going to build something like it? I will talk to the rest of the team about it tomorrow."

"How come you and Eames aren't both going to come?"

"Because someone has to stay here to protect Cobb from anyone that might find us."

Arthur could tell that was enough of an answer for her because she didn't say anything else. "You should go in and get some sleep Ariadne. You have been up the longest out of all of us. You deserve some rest."

"But I am scared of what I will dream," she said so quietly that Arthur almost didn't hear it.

"Go to sleep Ariadne,"

She grumbled something that Arthur couldn't make out as she walked into her room. He heard the sliding of the door shut and the click of the lock. Arthur hoped she really was going to sleep. She needs it. Arthur was starting to feel tired again too. He rolled his red die. The made out the faint four dots that it landed on using no light but the moon's. He sighed and fell asleep right on the lounge chair outside. He slept until morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time: A plan begins, half a story is told, a dream.
> 
> Again I would love feedback because i am still evolving as a writer and would also love to fix any mistakes i may have missed.


	3. Dream A Little

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A plan and a dream.

_He turned around. The table was empty. Something didn't feel right. Something isn't right. He knows he should know what it is, but he can't remember anymore._

* * *

When the alarm goes off at eight in the morning she wants to shoot it. Just freaking shoot it. It takes her a few seconds to realize why she is so tired; she remembers what happened earlier this morning. She really wishes she had gotten more sleep. He hits the snooze button and roles over to go back to sleep.

As if psychic someone knocks on her door. She groans and trudges over to open it. She is not surprised at all to find Arthur on the other side. She opens the door and just glares at him.

"Good morning sleepy head."

"Don't mess with me Arthur," she snaps, "It is too early. You better hope that you have something else to tell me."

"I just wanted to make sure you were awake. Figured you would want to get more sleep after last night," definitely psychic, "and here you are. We are meeting in Cobb's room in an hour. That okay with you?"

"Yeah, yeah," she grumbled. She walked back into her room and closed the door. She didn't hear footsteps leaving. She looks out the peephole and she sees Arthur still standing there. His hand is up like he is going to knock, but he doesn't. She leans on the door and it hits the doorframe making a small noise. Arthur notices this and quickly walks away.

She isn't in the mood to think about what he was going to do just now. She mentally reminds herself to ask him about it later when this is all over. She turns on the water and gets in. She doesn't care that the water isn't warm yet; she just wants to wash the memories of reality off.

She stays in the shower until the hot water becomes unbearable and her skin is bright pink and raw from scrubbing it. She sighs admitting defeat and gets out. She is too tired to really concentrate on what she is going to wear so she just pulls on a random pair of jeans, a band t-shirt, and a light yellow scarf.

She still had some time before she had to meet the rest of the team so she decides to go sit out on the balcony and think.

_Why did Arthur stand there? What was going through his head? What was it that he wanted to tell me but couldn't, or won't._

She had some ideas.

He needed to tell her something else

He just wanted to talk

The third, the third she didn't really want to think about, 3) Something is wrong.

She shook the idea out of her mind. Arthur would tell her if something was wrong, wouldn't he? She looked at the watch on her wrist; it was probably time for her to head down to their base. She walks back into her room and locks the sliding glass door that leads to outside and grabs her bag and some sketches from the desk in her room. Earlier when Arthur told her to go to bed and she walked back inside she hadn't gone back to bed right away. She couldn't sleep, so she was working on some sketches. Although they have nothing to do with their plan to get Cobb out she wants to show them to Arthur, see what he thinks, and maybe when this is all over create them in a dream. She put the sketches in her bag with all her other tools and started off to Cobb's room.

When she got there the rest of the team was there except for Yusef, who really just had his own schedule.

"Okay," he said getting everyone's attention, "I have started to come up with a plan."

"Of course you have," mumbled Eames.

Arthur just shoots him a look before he continues, "Two of us are going to go into Limbo to look for Cobb. Before you ask Eames," he saw Eames starting to form words, "only two of us are going to go in for protection. Yusef is going to stay because he isn't experienced enough and we need someone here that can work a gun."

"Okay darling correct me if I am wrong. You want Ariadne and either me or you to go in and look for Cobb?" Eames asked.

"How did you know that she was going to go in?" he asked incredulously. How could Eames have figured it out?

"I am not stupid, love. She is the only one who doesn't know how to use a gun."

Ariadne blushed and jumped into the conversation, "Well that is not totally true."

Arthur and Eames both stared at her in shock. Arthur was the one who decided to talk, "Care to elaborate?"

"Maybe another time," she said embarrassed.

"I think now would be nice. If you can work a gun we need to know, love." Eames told her.

She realized what Eames said is true, not that it would help that much in this job. Who was she going to have to shoot in Limbo?

"Well the story isn't that interesting."

"Just tell us Ariadne." Eames insisted.

"Fine. When I was younger I used to go to my grandparent's house for the summer. I was their only grandchild and my grandfather always wanted a grandson. Don't get me wrong he loved me he just wanted to do boy things," Eames chuckled, "lucky for him though I was a tom boy. So when I was old enough we started to go hunting together every weekend during the summer. I always had so much fun…" she droned off in nostalgia.

"What happened? Why did you stop?" Eames pressed.

The looks that Arthur and Eames gave her were almost funny. They were mesmerized by her story. It wasn't even very interesting, but then it dawned on her why they were so interested. They knew almost nothing about each other personally. She didn't know what Arthur and Eames knew about each other but as far as she knew they didn't know anything about her (but who knows what Arthur dug up). And she definitely didn't know anything about them. It was almost strange how she trusted them with her life but she knew almost nothing about them.

"As he got older he couldn't last the long days in the woods anymore," she paused and took a breath before continuing, "Then the Alzheimer set in and in the end he didn't even know who I was."

They were staring at her. She was suddenly thrown off balance. "I, um, I should probably get to work, on uh, something."

She walked out of the bedroom and into the living rooms area. She felt like a walking zombie with everything going on. She found a box of Poptarts in a cabinet in the kitchenette and took one out. She hoped up onto the counter and started eating it, trying to gain some sense of normalcy.

A few minutes later Arthur walked in, effectively ruining any normalcy she had felt and bringing her back to reality.

"Ariadne I am sorry," he apologized, "we shouldn't have pushed that story out of you. All we had to know that you knew how to work a gun."

"It is okay," then the truth dawned on her, "you knew didn't you?"

He looked very guilty. He nodded, "I knew most of the story already. I didn't know how close you and your grandfather were though. I should have stopped Eames from pressing you about it. It is really none of our business."

"Stop apologizing. It is fine, really," but that really wasn't true, and she knew Arthur knew that. She missed her grandfather so much. There was something that she knew Arthur didn't know though. She eventually moved in with her grandparent's full time but there was no legal evidence of that. Her grandfather was the only one who she could trust.

She could feel Arthur's gaze on her but she didn't look up. She didn't feel like talking. All the sudden her poptart became the most interesting thing in the world.

"If you want to talk I am here," he told her.

She just nodded, still looking down. His shoulders slumped when he realized he wasn't going to get anything else out of her, and walked out of the room.

* * *

_It felt so good to be home. Everything felt right. He missed his old friends though. He thought of Arthur. He assumed Arthur would have at least called. It has been eight years since the Fischer job. He hasn't heard from any of the team since. When he tried calling them it just told him the numbers were inactive. This didn't really worry him too much. He was just happy to be home. It was Phillipa's thirteenth birthday._

* * *

Everywhere she went there was too much stress, too much worrying, it was unhealthy. So Ariadne and Arthur decided to take a break.

_The sedative that Yusef was working on was actually working. There weren't any projections anywhere. That helps when she is changing the dream, no projections attacking her. She showed Arthur her sketches while taking a break and he suggested that she create them._

Eventually before they took a break they started a base plan. Eames and Ariadne are going to go to Limbo to try to find Cobb. Arthur and Yusef are going to stay in reality and protect their bodies. They still don't have a plan though on how Eames and Ariadne are going to get to Limbo though safely.

_She was creating a maze of stairs. Arthur was at the top and when she finished, is going to try to make his way down to the bottom. She was just putting on the finishing touches on then she would let him start. What Arthur doesn't know is that the maze isn't just stairs. She has a few tricks up here sleeve. She finished._

" _Okay Arthur you can start," she called up to him. The room was about four stories high. Her voice echoed in the hollow room so he could hear her perfectly. She could vaguely see his form descending down the flight of stairs. There was no doubt in her mind that Arthur would finish this in less than five minutes. He was Arthur, what else should she expect?_

_She looked up when she heard a noise and smiled. Arthur had set off one of the traps. The set of stairs that he was standing on started to move. He gasped. That gave her a great sense of self-pride. She could trick Arthur. The moving stairs obviously flustered him. She also had another trick up her sleeve. She knew that Arthur would assume that the stairs took him away from the end, but it actually took him closer. When the stairs stopped moving he tried getting back to where he was, walking the wrong way, following an illusion that she put in of a set of stairs that wasn't there. About ten minutes later he had finished. He was completely out of breath._

" _Ariadne you are brilliant. That was absolutely amazing. Cobb was a great architect, bout you are ten times better," he praised her, "when did you have time to create all of this?"_

_Well you don't really need an architect to rescue someone from Limbo," she started blushing, "also I didn't exactly go to bed when you told me too."_

_If Arthur heard the last part he didn't show it. He was still too amazed, "the tricks you put in, the moving stairs, and illusions. Absolutely brilliant. Maybe we should get Eames here to try this later."_

_Ariadne seriously doubted that that would happen. They had to focus on Cobb now and when this is over she probably wont see any of them again. That saddened her but she didn't have any more time to think about that because the dream started to collapse._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Time: Ariadne and Eames have a moment.


	4. Unexpected

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ariadne and Arthur have a moment. Ariadne and Eames have a moment.

_He was on the phone again, calling, seeing of anyone would answer. He has been searching safe houses, phone numbers, aliases, and any place they could be. But he can't find them._

" _Dad, are you still trying to find your friends?" an annoyed Phillipa asked. She is fifteen now, "if they wanted to talk to you they would have."_

_Cobb knew this wasn't true. He knew Arthur. Phillipa had no idea what kind of business he had been in. Thank god she didn't care enough to ask. He knew that it was very important to find them. The phone started ringing, interrupting his thoughts._

_He answered it, "Hello?"_

" _Cobb," a raspy, horse, pained voice answered._

" _Arthur?"_

* * *

He felt slightly groggy when he woke up from the dream. Yusef had said that this was a possible side effect from the new sedative he was testing so he wasn't too worried. He was surprised though to find Ariadne up and walking around already.

"How come Ariadne isn't feeling the same effects?" he asked Yusef.

"Because she has built up an immunity to it." He replied, examining a test tube.

"And immunity… wait what?" he half yelled. Then it dawned on him. If she had built up an immunity then she would have had to gone under before, without him knowing.

"She went under without telling me?"

"Her and Eames have been trying to figure out how to get to Limbo safely without forgetting they are there. I am trying to conjure up a sedative to help them with that."

Arthur ripped the needle out of his wrist, the effects of the sedative totally forgotten. He stomped over to where Eames and Ariadne were quietly laughing against the wall.

"Eames. Leave. Now,"

"Don't let him push you around, love," Eames whispered in Ariadne's ear before leaving.  _Eames could be so annoying sometimes._ Yusef also slipped out of the room. He clearly didn't want to get in the middle of anything.

"You went to Limbo without telling me?" he asked her incredulously.

"You were busy, plus Eames was there."

"You should have said something! You could have gotten lost!" his voice broke. Why did he care so much?

"We were using Yusef's new sedative," she said in a small voice, brushing her fingers through her long brown hair, "we came back."

"Oh my god. There is something going on between you and Eames isn't there?" He wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer.

He didn't need an answer. He could already tell by the blush on her face. Ariadne and Eames. Now that was a crazy idea.

He was almost to numb from shock to keep talking, "Ariadne you know that it is bad to mix personal life with work."

Her blush turned an even deeper shade of red. "Can we please not talk about this?" this conversation was turning awkward fast.

He nodded and went back to work.

* * *

"It looks like you told our point man," Eames said, bringing Ariadne in for a hug.

Ariadne loves the way Eames smells, how he wears his odd miss matching shirts, everything about him. They only problem is, she likes Arthur too. His OCD neatness, he is good looking, and his will to get the job done. But in the end Eames won out because he actually let Ariadne in and didn't push her away when things got bad, no matter how annoying he could be sometimes.

"Yeah. I expected him to go all crazy on my but he only said a something about keeping work and personal life," Ariadne knew that there was something more behind the mask on Arthur's face. There always was.

"Oh trust me darling he will. Once he actually gets over his lack of sleep and stops acting like a robot he will," Eames chuckled, hugging her closer.

She snuggled in closer, taking a deep breath of his musty smell, before pulling away.

"I am going to go work on some sketches for school."

"Ok love, just don't get too carried away," He chuckled. He knew how she could get carried away when she really got into her work.

"I wont," she grinned. Eames leaned down and gave her a peck on the cheek before she went off do her work. He knew Arthur was standing there before turning around.

"Eames, I hope you know what you are doing."

"Darling, do you really doubt me that much?" he said, now turned around facing Arthur.

Arthur's face looked pained. Eames just couldn't quite figure out why, "Eames, you know what happened to Cobb an Mal…"

"Shove it up your arse," Eames said, "We weren't dreaming for fun. Yeah there was a kiss or two," he added the last part just to annoy Arthur. From the look on his face, it worked. He smirked, "but we were really trying to figure out how to do this safely."

"Doesn't it scare you having her in there knowing she might not come out?" Arthur asked.  _What is Arthur trying to get at?_

"All hell it does but she is a mature adult and she can take care of herself. She doesn't need me to baby her. She can make her own decisions. And I will be there with her to get her out safe and sound. Happy?"

Arthur's mouth was a gaping hole. Eames chuckled. Arthur clamped it shut. Eames could see Arthur jaw muscles flexing. There was obviously something going on inside that man's head but for once Arthur was impossible to read. Normally he was as easy to read as an open book. He becomes hard to read when he actually shows emotion, which is rare for him.

Arthur's obvious discomfort made Eames chuckle. Arthur just glared, "I will kill you personally if she gets stuck there."

"You might want to get her back first. You never know how old she will get first." Eames could tell by Arthur's fist he was resisting the urge to punch him. He loved messing with Arthur's head. It was quite fun but he knew that if he wanted his nose intact he should lay off a bit so he just chuckled and walk over to where Ariadne was working.

He walked up and put his head on her shoulder, "Hello, love. Ready for a break?"

"Actually I just finished," She turned her head and gave him a small peck on the lips. Eames assumed she was also aware of Arthur's eyes on them.  _She cares too much about Arthur seeing._  With that thought, he put his hands on her face and pulled her closer for a real kiss. She easily complied, brushing her fingers through his hair.  _God I love this woman. I can only imagine what she would be like in bed._  The thought made him shiver. He was not a total ass hole though and was not going to rush her into anything. Though he did want more privacy than having Arthur staring at his back.

"Do you want to show me some of your work?" he asked her pulling his lips back ever so slightly. His back was facing Arthur so only Ariadne could see the mischief on his face.

"Sure," she replied. Very blasé. She was good. If she weren't so good at architecture she would be a pretty good forger too.

They walked hand in hand over to the table with the PASIV on it. He checked it once over, making sure it was working and had the proper sedative in it, and gave Ariadne her lead. He took his and put it in his wrist.

"Ready?"

"Ready."

He pressed the button and faded into the familiar blackness.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was kinda a filler chapter because at the time i didn't really know what to put here and there had to be something sooooo. The next chapter will be up tomorrow.
> 
> Next Time: A dream and a kick.


	5. The Dream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ariadne, Eames, a dream, a kick

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to combine two chapters because this chapter was supposed to be shorter but it fit really well with the chapter after.

" _Wow this is pretty good, love," Eames said, while appraising the dream that Ariadne created. It was the same dream that she had created for Arthur. She was going to have Eames go up to the top and have him try it too._

" _Thanks," she blushed. She walked with Eames over to the elevator that took them up to where the maze started. The elevator opened. Before stepping in Eames gave Ariadne a nice long languid kiss._

" _Wish me luck,"_

" _Always." She smiled. This should be easier for Eames. With him being a forger, it should be easier for him to see the traps and illusions that she put in._

_This time she was right. He figured out how to use the traps to his advantage, and did not fall for the same stair-moving trick. He has more imagination than Arthur, which helped him a lot. He wasn't look at the solid facts and what was logical. The maze was built around being completely illogical._

_Although it took Eames less time there was still about a half a mile of stairs that he had to take, so when he was done he was completely out of breath. With the last bit of energy he ran over to Ariadne and pulled her into a big bear hug, lifting her completely off the ground. She returned the hug easily. Eames collapsed to the ground, dragging Ariadne down with him._

_They both laughed. Ariadne was on top of Eames. He was on his back and her on her stomach. She could feel his laughter. She lied down and put her head on his heart. She could hear it beating that soothing sound. He wrapped his arms around her and they just lied there for a few dream minutes. Eames was rubbing her back. If this weren't a dream, she would be asleep now._

_All the sudden Eames rolled her over. He was on top of her now. She just let out a laugh. He wasn't cautious, he wasn't nervous, he could let go in ways Arthur couldn't._

_She brought his head down for a kiss. He responded with ferocity, pressing himself against her with out hurting her. She let out a low moan, letting Eames' tongue explore her mouth. Ariadne was tugging at Eames' shirt. He helped her get it off. Ariadne stopped kissing him. There were so many scars all over his chest. She traced her finger over the longest one, from his left shoulder to the right side of his hip._

_There were bullet wounds and scars covering him front and back. She flipped him over so she was on top again and slowly made her way, kissing them all. Eames let out a moan. No one cared like Ariadne did. Then all the sudden she was thrown off of him and hit a wall. She looked around dazed. Her head was bleeding. Then Eames was thrown across the room too._

" _It looks like Arthur is trying to give us a kick." Eames noted. He got up and walked over where Ariadne was sitting against the wall, she had a very bad head wound and it looked like she was going to pass out, "Love, you need to stay with me," his voice calm, hiding the worry, "You need to stay awake until we wake up. You can't go to limbo."_

_She was only able to give him a slight nod. She wasn't going to be able to hold on much longer. The impact broke her spine too._

_Just as she closed her eyes the dream started to collapse._

" _Ariadne nooooooo!"_

* * *

When he woke up anger flowed through every vein in his body. Arthur, bloody Arthur, sent her to Limbo because he had to kick us out of a dream with 30 seconds on it. What the hell was his problem? He looked over; Ariadne was still lying lifeless in the chair. Arthur's back was turned to them; he couldn't see what he had done. Ariadne was stuck in Limbo. She was all alone, and there was a good chance that she doesn't even know who she is or where she is. She could not remember him. It was all Arthur's fault. He could have just taken Ariadne away from him forever. That was not acceptable.

Eames ripped the IV out of his wrist and had Arthur against the wall in a choke hold in a matter of seconds, "You bloody bastard! I should kill you now!" he screamed.

"What the…" Arthur looked around confused. Did he really have no idea of what he did?

"When you tried to kick us you broke her spine and cracked her head open. You sent her to Limbo. You!" He was shaking Arthur. There was no rational part of Eames left.

Arthur stopped struggling. Eames noticed Arthur's eyes flicker with realization as he took in Ariadne, and her lifeless body. Some rationality returned to Eames, he let Arthur go, but not before punching him in the face, and most likely breaking his nose. Eames paced furiously across the room mumbling colorful language to himself. He stopped and spun around facing Arthur, who was still standing in shock and yelled at the top of his lungs, "Come up with a bloody plan!"

Arthur just stared at him dumbfounded, not moving and inch. Eames didn't have time for this. He turned to Yusef, "Put the drug in the PASIV now!"

Yusef quietly scurried over with a small vile, and poured the contents into the PASIV, then scurried away. He smartly wanted to stay out of this. No one should get in his way now if they wanted to live. Eames grabbed a line and stabbed it into his wrist.

"What the hell are you doing Eames?"

"Going in to get her."

"You shouldn't go in alone!"

He didn't care what Arthur thought. Why the hell should he? He pressed the button. The last thing he saw was Ariadne's lifeless body.

* * *

_When he opens his eyes he is back in the stair room. He had let his subconscious create the dream and this is where it took him, great. It was almost like he was drawn to it. He was powerless to stop himself. He realized he was there. The last spot he saw her. For the first time in a very, very long time, he cried. He cried for what seemed like hours but was really only minutes. He felt the presence behind him even before he turned around. He stood up, composed himself, the whipped around, pulling his gun out simultaneously. This was no projection thanks to Yusef's drug. It was none other than Arthur._

" _Arthur."_

" _Eames."_

_They shot each other in the head at the exact same moment, sending them both to Limbo._

* * *

_He was wet, and choking. He coughed reflexively, trying to get rid of the salt water in his lungs. Cobb wasn't joking when he said you wake up on the shore of your own subconscious. He turned his head to the right. Arthur was walking towards him, using a tall rock for balance. They both stumbled out of the water together. When they had a chance to look around, they were amazed by what they saw._

_A scale model of Paris, all of the major points where included. There was the Eiffel Tower, the college, a bunch of cafes and residential buildings. How much had she aged was the looming question along with does she remember who she is?_

" _Wow." Arthur said amazed, "and it only took us about five minutes in reality to get here,"_

" _Shut up you bastard," Eames snapped, "If we don't find her there will be blood and disemboweled body parts in that room to clean up before you can say the word sorry."_

_Arthur got the message and shut up. They explored the streets for what seemed like days trying to find where she could be. He realized it could have actually been days. Time was moving at a weird pace thanks to Yusef's sedative, he was still semi running on time from reality. That just made everything that much more confusing._

" _Do you have any idea where she could be?" asked Arthur. Eames just looked at him. He was about to snap back but he stopped him self. Arthur was always easy to read, and he still is. Behind that mask of calm and indifference Arthur was freaking out just as much as he was._

" _If anything you have more. You are the one who did the digging on her."_

" _Aren't you supposed to be the one she is dating?"_

_This time Eames couldn't stop himself, "Well we were until we were ever so annoyingly interrupted. Hurt flickered across Arthur's face. It was there only a second. Most would have missed it. The hurt was quickly replaced with the same mask of indifference. Under normal circumstances he would feel bad about that, he really would, but this was Ariadne that he was thinking of. He didn't have any time for anything else until he found her._

_They looked through cafes, searched buildings, but she was nowhere to be seen. Soon it was nightfall. They were about to give up for the night when they came across a building._

" _Eames, stop."_

" _Arthur if you can't handle your feet hurting a little bit than just leave."_

" _No stop this building looks so familiar."_

" _Do you care to enlighten me?"_

" _I, I can't remember."_

' _Well you darling, are extremely useless."_

" _Lets go inside and take a look around."_

_When they went inside, what they were greeted with was not what they were expecting. Rather than finding a bunch of apartments, they were already in one._

" _Of course," Arthur slapped his forehead, "This is her flat. Maybe we should wait here for her."_

" _I doubt she will be back. If she can remember this, then she obviously has some recollection of who she is even if it isn't conscious. She wouldn't want to come here. If she were smart she would go some place obvious, someplace that sticks out, where we could find her. Her subconscious would draw her there."_

" _Why would her subconscious do that?"_

" _Because of the drug we are using you idiot! Why the hell do you think we know where we are?"_

" _Then where would she be?"_

" _Are you a bloody idiot? The Eiffel Tower!"_

* * *

_It was starting to get cold. She tried rubbing her arms to stay warm, but it didn't work. She knew she could go into one of the buildings she created, but he would never find her there. Instead she chose the most obvious place he could look. She thought about jumping but then he wouldn't know she was okay. He would be stuck here. So she stuck it out. He had to find her soon. It has been two years already which could be who knows how long in reality. They only time she left was to go get food. She has been sitting here for two years._

* * *

_It was weird. He looked out his window and there were buildings there that hadn't been there last week. There was no way that those could have been built so fast. He always felt like there was something wrong but he could quite put a finger on it. He knew something was wrong the moment he couldn't get a hold of any of the team. He realized now that he shouldn't have brushed the thought away. He was an idiot. He should have looked closer._

* * *

_It was light out again. It felt like it had only been a few hours. There was Yusef's magic again. They were almost to the Eiffel Tower. He started running despite his screaming muscles. All the time he had been here he has gotten no sleep. He thought he could see her hair blowing in the wind. He could imagine her smell, the way she held him, loved him. It hurt him to think about it, not knowing whether she even remembers him or not. He couldn't think about that now. Now he had to find her, to make sure she was okay. He had to know she was okay. The rest he could deal with later. Now he had to get to her._

* * *

_She thought she could make out a silhouette running towards her. She knew that it was him. It had to be. Who else could it be? She thought about the last time she saw him, as she did very often, the way he looked at her with love in hi eyes, how he let her see him vulnerable. It hurt her to think about it but she knew it would be over soon. He was here, here looking for her, and he was finally going to find her. She had only dreamt of seeing that loving look one more time._

* * *

_He went out to see what the buildings were. As he got closer, he was stunned at what he saw. It was the Eiffel Tower. What the hell was the Eiffel tower doing in LA?_

* * *

_The elevator wasn't going fast enough. By the time it opened at the top he had nearly kick a massive hole in the wall, not that it mattered. Arthur had decided to give Eames a few minutes before he came up. He was probably scared what would happen if she isn't there. Now, there really was a massive hole in the wall, and it still didn't matter. They were leaving soon anyways, never to see any of this ever again. He was finally going to see Ariadne again. He stepped out of the elevator, preparing himself for the worst._

* * *

_She heard it. The sound she never thought she would ever hear, but it was there. It was the only thing she cared about now. Nothing else mattered nothing else in the world. She heard it, the elevator door open. He had finally found her._

* * *

_As he got closer too it, he could see people on it. He hadn't see people for miles. Then it hit him. The only people he has ever seen for the past 20 year where James, Phillipa, Mal, and Miles. Wait, isn't Mal dead?_

* * *

_It was her. She was there. Flesh and bone. He had to stop for a second. Take her in. See her beautiful flowing hair. The way her jeans hugged her curves perfectly. She fit in so easily with this scene. He just couldn't wait to see it in reality._

* * *

_She was almost afraid to turn around. What if it wasn't him? What if it wasn't him?_

* * *

_It was them. They were here. The ones he had been looking for. He finally found them. His jog turned into a full out sprint. He needed to see them. What if they weren't real either? He had to find out. What if everything he knew was a lie? He didn't trust anything anymore._

* * *

_He turned around._

" _Ariadne!" he screamed._

_At her name she spun around instantly. It was him._

" _Eames!"_

* * *

What was taking them so long? They should be out by now. It has been a few hours already. It was weird sitting alone with so many lifeless bodies. You would think he would be used to it from all the tests on his new sedatives, but he wasn't. Especially knowing that they might never come back.

_He couldn't wait any longer. It took him one second flat to take her in his arms. Feel her; make sure she was really there. He kissed any bare skin he could find. The best part was, she was doing the same._

" _You found me," she breathed between kisses, "I waited for you for two years."_

" _I'm sorry it took so long love. I am so sorry. I am so sorry any of this happened."_

" _Shhhh. It is okay."_

" _You have no bloody idea how thankful I am that you know who you are. I never believed in god until now. He brought you back. I finally found you."_

_He broke down in tears. He hadn't slept for almost a week. He hadn't been able too. He was too busy looking for her. But now that he had her, everything came rushing at him. He collapsed to the ground, his own legs not able to hold him up anymore. She sat down behind him and put his head in her lamp, gently stroking his hair as he let everything out. The tears running down her face falling onto his._

_He loved the feeling of her hands on him. They were finally together again._

_The elevator door opened again. She knew who exactly who it was. It was Arthur. She was surprised Eames had let him come. She looked over at him. He was crying too. He had never been the one to be emotional but now he was. If he were going to be emotional though, why would he cry? It didn't matter no though. Eames had found her and that was all that mattered. She was finally able to be whole again. This brought her back to a now distant memory._

" _Do you know what it is like to be a lover? One half of a whole?" Mal in Cobb's dream had asked her. Then, she didn't have an answer. She never thought she would. But now she did. She knew what it was like to lose your other half. Even knowing she would see him again it still had hurt. But all of that was over now. She was never going to let him leave her arms. Now though it was time to go home._

" _Eames?"_

" _Yes my love?"_

" _Lets go home."_

_They both got up and walked over to the ledge. Arthur joined them from where he had been leaning against the closed elevator doors. They jumped._

* * *

_It was too late. They had jumped. They jumped off the Eiffel tower. Why would they jump off the Eiffel tower? Why would someone in their right mind do that?_

* * *

She was afraid. She was afraid that when she opened her eyes he wouldn't be there, she would still be stuck in Limbo. But all of her fears were whisked away when she felt the crushing force of Eames on her body. She opened her eyes, and he was there, with her, in a hotel suite in the middle of LA. She all but ripped the IV out. She crawled out from under Eames so she was on top of him. He flipped him self over and looked at her with such intensity and such love that it took her breath away. She was so tired from everything that had happened. Even though none if it happened in reality, you still felt the effects, and shared dreaming wasn't real sleep. Eames wrapped his arms around her. She laid her head down on Eames' chest, and fell asleep to the steady beating of his heart.

* * *

She was asleep now, in his arms, but he was okay with that because this time he knew that it was only sleep and that she would wake up by herself. Once they got back, Yusef had silently slipped out of the room. He was grateful. Arthur though was still here though he was looking down, trying not to intrude too much.

"You are a lucky man Arthur."

His eyes snapped up, "What in this situation could make me lucky?"

"She is okay. So you get to keep your life."

"That is surely a good thing."

The next thing Arthur said so quietly that only he could hear it, "But you are still with the woman I love, and she loves you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter will be posted tomorrow.
> 
> Next Time: A nightmare, a fight, a heartbreak


	6. Running Up That Hill

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A nightmare, an interruption, a conflict

She screamed. His eyes flashed open. She was screaming, trashing, holding her head.  _She must be having a nightmare._  He tightened his arms around her.

"Shhhhh. It is okay, love. It was just a dream. Shhhhh." He tried to calm her. She stopped thrashing but her sobs continued. She was awake. He only relaxed slightly. She curled up and cried into his shirt while he rubbed her back in a circular motion.

Thankfully Arthur had left. He left after his little comment that he thought Eames hadn't heard, " _But you are still with the woman I love, and she loves you,"_ Eames knew that had been why Arthur was acting weird lately, but he wasn't too worried. He knew Arthur long enough to know that he would never act on his feelings and he would eventually get over it.

His thoughts snapped back to Ariadne. She had stopped crying completely. Her tear red eyes were gazing up at him. He wiped away the last tear on her face. Her eyes were red and puffy and her face was tear stained; yet she was still so beautiful.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asked her in a southing tone. He didn't want to get her crying again though he knew that would be inevitable.

"It. It's okay," she hiccupped, "It was just a dream," her voice broke. Eames could tell she was trying very hard not to start crying again.

He thought maybe he could push her a little farther, "Darling, after being in Limbo for as long as you were, you are luck to be able to dream at all. So for you to be able to dream, it must be pretty bad." He saw her visibly shiver. He knew he shouldn't push her any farther now. She just looked down and wrapped his tear stained shirt around her index finger.

He sighed, "It is okay. You don't have to tell me now."

She started to sound somewhat like herself again, "You never told me what happened to you," she told him.

"Maybe now isn't the best time for that story," he gently suggested.

She nodded, "I am going to go back to my room and take a shower," she looked at the clock. It read midnight, "and try to get some sleep."

"Okay love. I will check on you in about thirty okay?"

She only nodded. She handed him her extra room key and walked out the door without another word. Eames knew that she wasn't telling him something, and he had to find out fast.

* * *

She didn't want to tell him her dream. She knew she would have to but she didn't want to now. He would just tell Arthur and they wouldn't let her go down to Limbo to find Cobb. Even now they were reluctant to let her go, and she had to. She knows Cobb better than Arthur and Eames combined. They still don't know what has been haunting him this long, and most likely the reason that he is still there. She knows that she should tell them but it doesn't seem like her secrets to share.

She was so busy thinking that she didn't realize that the elevator door had opened and that Arthur was standing in the hall watching her. .

"Are you alright Ariadne?" she saw his eyes taking in her appearance. She could only imagine how bad she looked. There was so much concern written all over his face. It was sweet.

"Yeah I am fine. You?"

"I am fine as always," she knew he wasn't completely telling the truth, "I was actually just going to check on you, and here you are," he paused, "well I guess I will go back to my room now," he said awkwardly.

She just nodded and walked past him and into her room. She walked strait into the bathroom and turned on the shower. She looked at herself in the mirror.  _I look like shit._ She quickly got out of her clothes. They had felt like they were sticking to her. It felt even nicer when she got into the shower and had the warm water running all over her body. The warm water helped her clear her head so she could think. She thought about her dream.

_She was dying. The last thing she saw before dying was Eames' face. He had told her to stay awake, but she couldn't. Before she died, the last thing she saw was the disappointment on his face. Then she woke up in another dream. She woke up in the hotel room where Cobb and Mal used to spend their anniversaries. Then Mal came at her with a knife. She had tried as hard as she could but she just wouldn't wake up. Except this time she could feel her pain. She could feel Mal twisting the knife I her stomach._

_Then she woke up again in a different dream. She was at Eames' funeral. He had come to look for her but got lost in Limbo. He had been brain dead and they decided to take him off of life support. She couldn't bare the thought of him being lost forever. In the last moments of her dream, she stood on top of the Eiffel tower, and shot herself in the head._

She gasped. It was just as painful thinking about the dream as it was in it. They were just facts that seem impossible that could actually happen or have happened. It was all pain. There was nothing there besides pain. There was no room in her for any other emotion. The pain and sadness over took her. She couldn't stand it any longer. She thought she had gotten it all out when she was with Eames, but that wasn't even close, she had been holding back.

She fell down to the floor of the shower and sobbed. The water was still on but she didn't care. She was only capable of feeling the pain at this moment in time. After a few minutes her sobs turned into full-blown hysteria. She couldn't stop it, and some part of her didn't want to. It felt like this was the way she was going to live the rest of her life. There would nothing besides the pain and suffering. No love, no happiness. She heard a weird noise. She realized that it was her own sobs. That just intensified the hysteria. Then she heard another noise, this she knew was not her sobs. She realized what it was; Eames had come to check on her. Had it really been that long? She panicked. He couldn't see her like this. He would send her home. He would think she was too weak.

She was not thinking to clearly so she crawled over to the corner of the shower and curled up into a ball, as if to imply the smaller she got, the hard she would be to find. Eames found her anyways. She heard the bathroom door open; she hid her face from him, still sobbing.

It took him a few moments to realize where she was. Curling up in a small ball almost worked, almost. When he noticed her through the glass shower wall he ran over. He got into the shower with her with all of his clothes still on. He only bothered to take off his shoes. She was still hysterical.

"Oh Ari, my love." was all he said. He sat down next to her and brought her to his lap, her head on his chest, sobbing into his now soaked shirt. He rubbed her back.

_Why was he staying with her? Why wasn't he running away like any sane person would?_ She already knew the answer to her question, because he loved her. At first with them it was casual. It had started about a week or so before they had to perform the inception. Now though it was much more than that. He was here when no one else was. He cared about her when no one else did, well almost no one. She didn't have the mental capacity to think about Arthur now.

She looked up at Eames. There was so much, love worry, sadness, and compassion all mixed together all over his face. She was so luck to have him. What she did next surprised both of them. In the midst or her crying in a fully clothed Eames on the floor of a shower, she brings his lips to hers and kisses him.

Eames pulls away, "Love, I am not sure that is the best thing to be doing just now…"

"Shut up Eames. Just shut up."

He complied. She resumed kissing him. At first she was slow and sloppy, still not fully in control of herself, but then as time progressed, they got more and more intense and soon, Eames was kissing her back with as much intensity as she was. She positioned herself so one leg was on either side of Eames. She forgot the fact that she had no clothes on. Using the support of the wall Eames stood up, never once breaking the kiss, turned off the water, and got out of the shower. Ariadne wrapped her whole body around Eames, pressing against him any way she could. She wanted Eames to really touch her, but he kept his hands firm on her back. She had no doubt that he wanted to make love to her; he just didn't want to take advantage of her. She had to prove to him that she was okay.

She moved her hands from Eames' back and moved them to his hair, twirling it around her finger. He let out a soft moan. She took advantage of his weakness and started pulling his shirt over his head. He lifted his arms up to help her. Again she took advantage of this. She took his hands and put them on her breasts. He searched her face for any uncertainty and as she knew he would, he found none. He smashed his lips back against hers, letting his tongue explore her mouth. His hands ran up and down her body. He could seem to get enough of her. Ariadne undid Eames' bet buckle and zipper. She pressed herself against him so hard that he stumbled backwards and fell into the dresser, knocking a vase onto the floor, breaking it. She barely even noticed.

She was about to push his pants off when the door burst open. It was Arthur with a gun out and pointed at them.

"What the bloody fuck Arthur?" Eames yelled, "What ever happened to privacy?"

"I uh," he stumbled, his face bright red, "I heard something smash and I thought someone was after Ariadne."

"Or you just couldn't stand me being with Ariadne. Don't think that I didn't hear that little comment."

All color drained from Arthur's face. Ariadne gasped. Arthur just turned around and walked out of the room.

"Eames. Why did you say that?"

"I am sorry love, it had to be done. The sooner the better." He said, pressing little kisses on her forehead.

She unwrapped herself from Eames and ran into the bathroom and grabbed a bathrobe.

"Where are you going?"

"I need to talk to Arthur."

"Ariadne, I…" she didn't hear anything else because the door to her room had closed. Arthur was out in the hallway next to the door with his hands over his face, crying. She had never seen him cry before.

She sat down next to him, "Arthur, I didn't know."

"Why does it matter? I am crap at showing my feelings."

"You should have told me."

"So you could take my feelings into consideration my feelings then pick Eames over me anyways?" He stopped, waiting for her to interrupt. When she didn't he continued, "He is more loving and better at showing his feelings than I am. Why wouldn't you pick him over me?"

"Arthur I..."

"Just don't Ariadne. I don't want to hear it."

She shut up. He got up and walked to his door and opened it, "Well now you know how I feel. Enjoy your new found knowledge." And walked into his room, slamming the door behind him. For a few seconds she just stared at the closed door before walking back into hers.

Eames was lying on his back on the bed with his legs hanging off the end. She shouldn't take it out on him. It wasn't his fault. She did knowingly choose Eames over Arthur anyways. She took her bathrobe off and threw it onto the back of one of the chairs and lied down next to Eames on the bed, putting one arm around him.

"Ariadne, I am so sorry. I should have said something. That was wrong of me. I would totally understand if you left me for him…" he trailed off. Eames knew what he was offering though she knew he was praying to god she didn't do it. She wasn't planning on it.

She straddled Eames and brushed his hair out of his eyes. Shock took over his features, "Eames. I wasn't planning on leaving you. After everything? Never in a thousand years." She gently kissed his lips.

He let out a sigh of relief, "Love, I thought you were so mad at me for what I did. I thought for sure that you would never look at me with love in your eyes again."

"You know that I would never do that. Do you think all of my love would go away just like that? I am in love with you Eames. I really am."

He flipped her over onto her back so he was on top of her, "Well good because I am in love with you too."

She pulled his head down to hers and kissed his soft, silky lips. She sucked on his bottom lip, and then pulled away to try to hide a yawn.

"Love, you should go to sleep. It has been a long day and god knows you need it."

She nodded and crawled up the bed and got under the covers. She hadn't realized until then that she was about ready to pass out. Eames came and got under the covers and cuddled up against her. She fell into a long dreamless sleep instantly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long to upload. I was in another state this weekend and the internet was very bad so i wasn't able to upload. I hope you liked this chapter. Things are going to start falling together soon. 
> 
> Next Time: Another conflict, a dream, a bar


	7. The Choice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An encounter, another dream, a conflict

In her own way she loved Arthur. She loved Arthur and Eames both but in different ways. The only problem, she didn't know which one she loved more. She thought she was sure about Eames, she really had. But now she wasn't so sure. Hadn't she really wanted to make love to Eames or had she just been acting in the moment? She was somewhat glad that Arthur interrupted. It gave her a chance to look at her actions, to realize she might have been making a big mistake. Eames was out somewhere now, probably gambling. Her and Arthur where in Cobb's room's living room. Ariadne was on the couch pretending to be engrossed in her schoolwork, and Arthur was doing something on his laptop.

She let her gaze wander to his face, she hadn't been able to look at him. He was looking at her. She looked down quickly.

"Ariadne I…" he started but she didn't let him finish.

"No Arthur don't. This is my entire fault. Everything has just been so messed up. I wasn't really thinking about my emotions, just acting on them. I wasn't thinking about whether anything was what I really wanted. I love Eames Arthur, but I also love you too."

Shock was etched into Arthur's face. That was obviously not what he had expected from this. She was no longer able to hold his gaze, and blushed and looked down. Once Arthur was able to speak again, she was not all too surprised by what he said but just as conflicted as she was before, "Ariadne, you need to figure out whom you really love, and find out fast."

She obviously knew this already. She didn't need Arthur to tell her that. She realized though what had really been keeping her from making a real decision, "Arthur, if you don't open up to me there is no way I can even think of being with you. You are always locking me out. If you want to be with me you can't be that way," she told him. It pained her to say it but it had to be said.

"What happens when I tell you and you don't like what you hear? What happens to me then? I will just be even more hurt than before. I love you Ariadne. God help me I do. I am not sure I will ever love anyone else ever again,"

She was in such a shock that it was hard to perform basic functions, like talking, "Because I always wanted to be with you," she managed to get out. Shock took over his features and once again, she had taken him by surprise.

Arthur gently put his laptop on the coffee table that was on front of them, got up and walked over to Ariadne. He put his hands on either side of her face, and kissed her. At first she was taken by surprise, to surprised to realize that she was kissing him back. Her hands were tangled in his hair, and she was kissing him back with just as much force as he was. She loved the way his lips tasted on hers. They were soft and smooth compared to Eames' rough and worn ones. She realized that she never wanted to kiss another pair of lips again besides his.

She would have loved to continue kissing him but they heard the door opening. Arthur quickly moved back to his chair and fixed his hair. He looked at Ariadne with a pained expression. He didn't know the decision Ariadne had made silently in her mind.

"Hello, love," Eames said, walking over to her. He lightly pecked her on the lips. He didn't seem to notice that she didn't return his kiss. Arthur did though. She looked at him and mentally shook her head at him. "Not now," she wanted to tell him, but she couldn't. She couldn't say anything that she wanted to say because Eames was here. Some how she would have to get Arthur alone. A dream maybe?

Eames sat down next to her, "What are you working on darling?

"Oh just some schoolwork," she was trying hard to sound indifferent when there were really so many things she wanted to say. She just wanted to yell. Eames put his arm around Ariadne. Arthur visibly cringed. Again Eames didn't notice. He was busy looking at what Ariadne was supposedly working on. How had she never noticed it before? How had she never realized Arthur had these feelings for her? It had been so obvious, even to Eames. She couldn't wait any longer to talk to him. She was going to burst.

"Eames, if you don't mind I would like to go under and show Arthur some designs I have been working on, get his opinion on them." She tried to look as calm as Arthur now did. It wasn't so hard now knowing that she was going to get to talk to him.

"Of course, just as long as I get to see it later," he joked.

"Of course," She managed a passable smile. Arthur got up and got the PASIV from the closet and set it down on the coffee table. He set the timer for five minutes.  _That should be more than enough time for what I have to say,_ she thought. She put an IV in her wrist and leaned back.

Eames looked over at her. She prayed to god that he wouldn't say those three words. If he did, she wouldn't lie to him. For some reason god decided to answer her prayer and Eames just smiled at her.  _Maybe he knows more than he is letting on,_ Ariadne worried.

"Three. Two. One," he counted, and then pressed the button. She felt the familiar weight of the dream sucking her in.

_She hadn't known where she wanted to go so she let her subconscious create the dream. They were in the hotel from the second level of the Fischer job. They were sitting on the couch where Arthur had uttered those words "Quick, give me a kiss"._

_She turned and looked at him. For the first time she had ever seen, he had looked vulnerable, and then he started talking, "I was in the military when I heard about the Somnacin project. It was open to only a select few. Back then they were using it to train solders, top of the line. I was hand picked to be a part of it. At first it was like nothing I had ever seen. I was young and naïve at the time though, barely in my twenties. Little did I realize that the project was as corrupt as the military could get. There were so many people out there trying to get the technology that we had. I took advantage of it though. That was when I met Maria. She was young and beautiful. She had my heart the first time I saw her," he looked at Ariadne trying to gauge her reaction._

_She was very good at remaining calm though it hurt to hear him talk about another woman like that. She was the one who wanted to know though so she didn't say anything. Arthur continued, "I started to see her every night. Everyone told me that there was something suspicious about her but I didn't listen. I told them that they didn't know that real her. Little did I know though that they were right. One night I went home and she was screwing around with another man, the leader of the Somnacin project. That was when things turned ugly. She pulled out a gun and shot him in the head. He died instantly without pain. She had stolen his PASIV and was about to put me under to extract any information I had about the project when another woman burst through the door. Her name was Mal."_

_Ariadne gasped. She had always thought of Arthur meeting Cobb first. Arthur continued his story, seemingly lost in thought; "She shot Maria in the head and killed her. Mal took me in. She kept me hidden from everyone who wanted the information I had now that the project had exploded. Ever since Maria I have never been able to give myself away. I have never really been able to love anyone. I have always been paranoid, always looking over my shoulder. Just waiting to see who is going to back stab me next. I was so closed until you Ariadne. You changed everything. Ever since you walked into the warehouse on that first day. You made me close myself up even more. Ariadne I don't think I could live without you now."_

_She was in complete shock over everything that Arthur had just told her. She understood now why he had always been so closed to everyone. She realized what she meant to him. To Eames, she was just another relationship that would eventually end. He was too unstable. She was barely able to choke out the words that she says next, "Arthur I pick you. I want to be with you, forever. I promise I will never hurt you,"_

_In response, Arthur pulled Ariadne into his lap and kissed her, not hurried like last time. She put her arms around his neck and returned his kiss. This felt right. She knew she was making the right decision. She pressed herself against him._

" _Ariadne," Arthur pulled back a little, just inches away from her face, "the projections"._

_She looked around. Everything was silent and there were hundreds of gazes on them. She laughed and got up from his lap, grabbing his hand and pulled him up too. She dragged him over to the elevator. She pressed the up button then pushed him up against the wall. She stood on her tippy toes and kissed him again. When the elevator door opened she pulled him in and started kissing him again She pressed the button for level five. He let out a moan in pleasure. The doors opened again and she ran down the hall to room 528. Arthur kicked the door open and pulled her in, kicking the door shut behind him. He laid her down on the bed. She looked up at him. He looked at her with so much love in his eyes it was hard for her to breathe. He smashed his lips against hers. She wrapped her legs around his waist and clung on to him. She pulled his jacket off and undid his shirt. He undid her blouse. She read the uncertainty in his eyes. She took his hands and put them on her breasts. That was all he needed to know he was doing the right thing. His hands ran over her body, feeling every curve. She arced up to him and let out a low moan. Arthur momentarily stopped to take off his pants but was rudely interrupted all to soon but a collapsing dream._

She blinked. It took her a few seconds to remember where she was and everything that happened. She pulled the IV out of her arm. She quickly took her bishop out of her pocket and tipped it over. Arthur was already at the nearest flat surface rolling his die. He seemed to be satisfied by the number it landed on. Eames just looked at the confused. Arthur nodded at her. She had to now. There was no more waiting. She needed to talk to Eames.  _I have to wait though until after we get Cobb back. We need him fully focused._

She knew she was just making excuses now but it was mostly true.

"So I was thinking that maybe we could take a trip to the bar before we age a few years," Eames joked.

"Yes please," said Ariadne jumping up. She could really use some alcohol in her system now. Arthur laughed at her then stopped suddenly. He still had to play the part of being a love sick closed minded man. Thankfully Eames didn't notice. He probably already has more alcohol in his system then she has had in her life. From what she heard he could really hold his alcohol. Arthur cleaned up the PASV and put it back into the closet.

Ariadne was already walking out the door, "Wow. Eager love?" Eames laughed. She just scowled at him and continued. She really needs alcohol for what she was about to do. She is now just as conflicted as she was as a child. For different reasons of course but still just as conflicted. Arthur and Eames followed her. Eames caught up to her and put his arm around her. She looked back at Arthur. The expression on his face was so pained. "I'm sorry," she mouthed to him. He just shook his head. It isn't that she didn't love Eames; she just loved him more as a brother. She realizes that now.

"Fuck. My. Life!" Ariadne yelled.

"Awwww. What is wrong love," Eames slurred.

"My parents are dead. I don't have any grandparents I have no family." She frowned, slamming her shot glass onto the table.

"Awwww. Poor Ariadne," Eames said. It was hard for her to tell whether he was being real or not.

"Oh just shut up Eames. I SAID SHUT UP EAMES," she yelled, half to herself, "I just. I don't know whom I love okay! I love you, but I also love Arthur. How the hell do I choose? Huh. You can tell me that. And now, I have no parents to tell me what to do. No parents to say 'Ariadne do what your heart tells you'. Not that that is any help I just want parents," she yelled.

Arthur was there. He hadn't been drinking. The only thing Ariadne had seen in his hand was a glass of water. Eames hadn't drunk much either. Not nearly as much as she had. She has been drinking for a good hour and a half. She realized what she had just said, "Opps," she said, than hiccupped. Eames just looked at her in shock. He was obviously not drunk enough for this. He got up and stumbled out of the bar. She watched him until she couldn't see him anymore.

She hiccupped again. "Are you mad at me too Arthur?" she asked him.

"No Ariadne I am not. You are quite funny though if I may say."

"Uh oh. That isn't good. Hey. When did we get here?" she got up and stumbled, nearly falling into Arthur.

"Exactly my point," He put his arm around her, holding her up. He dragged her over to the bar. He took some cash out of his pocket with his free hand and put it on the counter, paying for their last drinks. Once they were out of the bar, he swooped her up and started carrying her like a baby.

She laughed, "Arthur you are so funnnnn!"

"I know Ariadne. I think that this is the tenth time you have told me that," he sighed.

"What? I don't remember that!" she had a worried expression on her face. This happened the last nine times he told her that. He was used to it by now. He didn't know whether he should take her to her room or not. Eames could be there, and it wasn't exactly same for her to be left alone. He decided to take her up to his room, just to be safe. He pressed for the elevator. The doors opened and he stepped in. He managed to get one of his fingers free and pressed the button for level 15.

"Wow. The floor is moving. This feels so cool! Weeeeeeeee!" she laughed, throwing her hands in the air. Arthur couldn't help but laugh at her, "Why are we going to level 15? My room is on seven, I think. Five maybe?"

"Your room is on seven but I don't trust you enough to leave you alone," he responded. He was annoyed. She isn't herself when she is drunk. She nodded and yawned.  _Maybe she will actually sleep,_  he thought,  _god knows she will need it for tomorrow._ They still hadn't officially decided who was going in. I guess it is going to be a last minute thing. That was very unusual for Arthur. It felt weird not having a plan. The doors of the elevator slid open. He stepped out and walked down the hall and made a few turns until he got to room some how managed to hold Ariadne with one arm while he used the other one to take out his room key and unlock the door. He kicked it the rest of the way open.

"Ohhhhhh. So this is Arthur's room!" she squealed.

"You, Ariadne, are going to sleep," he told her.

She nodded and yawned again. He pulled the covers away and an put her on the bed then put the covers back on top of her.

"Arthur, where are you going to sleep?" she asked.

"On the couch."

"But this is your bed Arthur. I wont go to bed until you get in it," she patted the empty space next to her. He knew he really shouldn't but he wanted to, and this could be the last chance he gets for a while, even if she is drunk. So against his better judgment he kicked off his shoes and got into the bed with her. He put his arm around her and buried his face in her neck. She was already asleep. He fell asleep only a minute later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Time: A decision, a fight, a discovery.


	8. Revelations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A decision, a fight, a discovery

* * *

She woke up to the warmth of light on her face. Why was there light? She never sleeps with the blinds open. She put her hands to her head; she had a massive headache. It took her a few minutes to fully wake up. She squinted and looked around at her surroundings. This obviously wasn't her room. The walls were a different color and the layout was wrong. Then she felt the arm around her waist. She looked over, not finding whom she expected. It was Arthur. She was still in her clothes. What had happened last night?

She would ask Arthur when he woke up, but for now, she settled on watching him sleep. He looked so, relaxed. His jaw muscles weren't clenched, he had a slight smile on his face, and his hair was sticking out in every direction possible. He was cute when he slept, though she would never tell him that. If she did he would probably sleep with his hair slicked back and in a suit and tie. Her thoughts snapped back to the reason she was here.

She brushed a loose strand of hair off of his face. He stirred. He blinked then focused on her. He smiled.

"How long have you been awake?" he asked.

"Only a few minutes," she replied, stroking his face, "My problem is though, I don't remember how I got here."

He laughed, "Do you really want to know?"

"Is it that bad?" she was worried now. What did she do?

"Well you got drunk as hell,"

"And?" the suspense was killing her. Arthur wouldn't be acting like this if it weren't bad.

"You may have let the fact that you loved both me and Eames slip out on front of him then he walked out angrily," he admitted

Ariadne gasped. Little tidbits of the night came flooding back to her, "shit, shit, shit, shit, shit."

"Whoa there Ariadne," Arthur commented. She just glared. This was not how she wanted him to find out, especially since she chose Arthur. She loved them both, she really did, but Eames was more like a brother, Arthur was her second half. She laughed, she never thought that she would feel this way, especially after what Mal said, but she knew now that wasn't true. Arthur gave her an odd look. She shook her head. It was Cobb's secret to tell, not hers. Was Cobb with Mal now? She could only guess.

There were so many thoughts about Cobb swirling around in her head. What if they couldn't find him? What if he woke up and didn't remember them, his job, or himself? These questions scared her but she didn't want to think about them now. Getting Cobb back is all that matters. She cuddled up to Arthur and buried her face in his chest. He held her close. She breathed deeply. She knew that they have to go now. They have to get Cobb.

"Ariadne we…" Arthur began but Ariadne was already getting out of the bed.

"I know. We need to go get Cobb. Please don't say anything to Eames. I have a feeling that he is going to be waiting there for us and I want to talk to him ALONE after everything is sorted," Arthur nodded. Ariadne nodded back and started pulling on her clothes from yesterday. No one would care right? They were going to be under for a long time and no one else besides them was going to see her.

Arthur got into a black three-piece suit. They walked out of the room together. It only took them a minute or two to get to room 528. She was right, he was already there. He was looking intently down at the PASIV with a sad look on his face. Ariadne knew why but she knew she couldn't talk about it know. They had to go get Cobb.

Arthur sensed this too and just got right down to business, "Okay who is going to go under with Ariadne?"

"I will," Eames said immediately. On the inside she was secretly glad. She knew that this would probably be the last time she ever saw him, and this gave her the chance to talk to him. It wasn't the ideal time but this was her only chance. Arthur gave her a worried look but she shook her head at him. She wanted Eames to go down with her. She was also more likely to come back. Arthur checked the PASIV twice over then motioned for them to sit down. Ariadne and Eames took seats across from each other.

Arthur took an IV and put it in her wrist, "Come back to me,"

"Always," she brushed her hand across his cheek, and then leaned back into the chair. Eames nodded at him signaling that he was ready.

"Three. Two. One." Arthur counted down. The last thing that Ariadne saw was Cobb's lifeless body.

* * *

_She opened her eyes. She was standing on the edge of the platform of the start of her stairs dream. Eames was the dreamer, not her. The next thing she knew she was free falling. What the hell just happened? She managed to flip herself over in the air and looked up. Eames was looking down at her with haunted eyes. The next thing she knew, a set of stairs was breaking her fall. She hit the edge and heard a crack then kept falling. She hit another set of stairs but stopped this time. She couldn't move anything. The crack she heard was probably her back. Eames was there in seemingly seconds even though she knew it wasn't. His eyes were even more haunted than before, even red rimmed. She could only gasp. Then he took out a gun, and shot her in the head._

* * *

_She woke up coughing. Her lungs were filled with salt water. She coughed reflexively trying to get it out. When she was finally able to sit up, Eames was looking down at her with his hand out. She took it and he helped her up. They were both soaking._ _**I am in Limbo.** _ _That was good. Yusef's drug was working. Then she remembered how she got here._

" _What the hell was that Eames?" she yelled to him over the roar water._

" _I was angry," he shrugged, "You're just lucky that that was a dream."_

_She punched him in the jaw, it cracked. It was most likely broken, "Shit that hurt," she yelled while jumping up and down holding her fist._

" _Darling, you're the one talking? You are not the one with them broken jaw here."_

_She shrugged. She would love to rationalize it by saying he deserved it, but her really didn't. Yes what he did may have been an over reaction but she hurt him too. If anything, she still deserves worse. This was a great start to what was going to be a lovely few years. They were walking out of the water when Eames all the sudden stopped walking. She walked into his back._

" _Eames, what the hell?" she asked him annoyed._

" _Look," he pointed ahead of him. She saw what he was seeing and gasped. It was her replica of Paris, in Cobb's mind. What the fuck?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Time: A surprise, a dream, a move.


	9. Haunted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A discovery, another discovery, a change.

He fiddled with his totem aimlessly. All he had left to do now was wait, and he knew that could be a long time. He wasn't completely sure about how he felt with Eames with Ariadne and not him. He knew that that was what she wanted so he let it. She wanted to talk to Eames alone and he wasn't going to get in the way of that. This may be the last chance that she gets after all. He was suddenly snapped out of his thoughts by a small noise. He listened closer; it was a lock being picked, to their door. He pulled out his gun and moved on from of Ariadne, protecting her. The door smashed open. He almost dropped his gun when he saw who it was. It was a good thing that Yusef was long gone.

"Maria?" he managed to choke out, "Your dead."

"Well there you are wrong my love." She walked into the door, just as gracefully as Arthur remembered she was. She was slightly taller now, but time has done nothing to her, "You see, if I were dead, you would either have to be dead to or dreaming and you know that you are neither don't you."

Arthur had the urge to check his totem but he didn't need to. He had it out just a second ago. It never failed him, "Then who the hell died?"

"Ahhhhh yes. Now that is where things get interesting." She replied. He knew she was taunting him but it was still hard to stay in control of himself. They just stood there. He was starting to get impatient.

"Do you want to explain?" he asked annoyed. His first love was standing on front of him. There was no stopping the memories that it sutured up. He had been in so much pain when he found out what 'Maria' was doing. Now everything that he knew about her could be wrong and he just wanted to know. He was about ready to punch a hole in the wall. If she weren't careful that wall that he wanted to punch would turn into her face.

"Hmmmmm. No. I think I will wait a few minutes first," she walked out of the room where the team was under and into the living space, and made herself comfortable in one of the chairs. He followed her but stood tensely in the doorway.

"If you aren't going to tell my anything then why are you here?" Everything about what was going on pained him. He wasn't sure if he could take anything else.

"I never said that I wasn't going to tell you because that would be men wouldn't it?" he scowled at her, "Is it really that bad that I just wanted to check up on an old friend? Also I heard you were working with the famous Dom Cobb. Is the girl the mark?" she asked. Maria really didn't know anything. Why the hell would they be under with a mark three days after completing inception?

"No she is my girlfriend and it isn't a job."

"Oh? Then what is it then?" He stood there silently. Could he trust her? There is no possible way that this could be Maria. She could be working for some one. Maybe Cobol, "You wont tell me then? Well then we will have to wait for the timer to run out. Looks like they have about a minute left," she circled them. Arthur automatically stiffened. They stood there silently waiting. Arthur knew that they weren't going to wake up, but Maria didn't. She was sure in for a surprise. The timer silently ticked down. It reached zero, and they didn't wake up.

"Hmmmmm. Interesting. Care to explain?" she asked. Arthur could tell by the expression on her face that she was truly baffled.

"Only if you tell me who you really are. Maria is dead, so who are you?" Arthur pulled out his gun and put it to her head. He wasn't letting her get information out of him before he got any out of her. She was the one who broke in after all.

"I assure you that I am Maria. I was not the one who you killed in cold blood," She emphasized the last two words. It was him who killed 'Maria' but that little detail could wait until the end of the story, "That was my twin sister Gina. You are luck that we didn't get along or else you would be dead right now. It was always competition between us. Who could do better than the other. She wasn't cautious enough, always getting herself into trouble, making my life a living hell. We were working for a client that hired us to get all the information about the Somnacin project as we could. I decided to go under cover and trick you into falling in love with me. You were young and naïve, easy to manipulate. You didn't even believe your own friends when they told you I was up to no good,"

She let out a harsh laugh before continuing; "Gina decided to that she wanted to try to get the information out of the boss of it all. She was constantly getting deeper and deeper. Getting herself into worse and worse messes. I think she was going after him and two other men. She told me that this was the night. This would be when she got it all out of him so I let her use our apartment. You told me you were going out with the guys so I didn't expect you to be back before they left. Once I heard what had happened I went back and found the whole project in chaos. I was able to get what I needed about somnacin and dream sharing and report back. It did hurt to stay away though. I did love you."

_**Did**_ , he thought. Now, she was nothing more than a rat trying to corrupt his life once more.

"I told you so now it is your turn to talk," she snapped him out of his thoughts. This was just so much to take in. Maria wasn't dead. She was his love and she betrayed him. He thought she loved him. Everything about their relationship was a lie. What she didn't know, that going out with the guys was just an excuse, he was going out to buy her a ring. He still had it. He felt a twang of guilt towards Ariadne but it was short lived. How could she be so cruel? And to come back now? His life would have been better without knowing. He slapped her across the face. She gently touched the red mark on her cheek. Anger replaced the shock on her face. She took out a gun from her boot and hit him in the head with it. He faded into blackness.

* * *

" _This totally changes everything we ever thought about Limbo." Ariadne's voice was hushed. She still had her mouth hanging open in awe._

" _I can see that for myself," he snapped. He was smart. He was the older one here. He didn't need her to tell him anything, he knew more than her, especially about relationships. You don't do what Ariadne did. He wanted to do so much more to her then what he did in the first dream but if he had done anything more she would tell Arthur. He really didn't need Arthur on his back. He knew she wouldn't tell him though, she didn't want anymore drama either._

" _That also means, that the whole time that I was here Cobb was too," she seemed so lost in her thought that she didn't notice Eames practically ready to punch her, "If I had just looked around more, I could have found him. This could have been all over already. We could have had Cobb back with us. We didn't have to give him more time to be lost." Her voice cracked on the last word._

_Eames hatred for Ariadne was quickly replaced with sympathy. What he said about her wasn't totally true. Everyone made mistakes. His face softened. "Ariadne there was no way that you could have known. This wasn't your fault. If anything now we know more," he tried to comfort her._

_She sighed and walked into the replica of Paris._

* * *

He woke up with a shock. This first thing that he did was check his wrists for puncture marks.

"Do you forget so soon that your friends are hooked up to the PASIV?" she asked amused. He hadn't but he didn't know if she had brought one with her or not. He sat up. He was on the couch and Maria was watching him intently from the chair. He heard her mumble something to herself. It sounded like he knows too much now.

"What the-" she had jumped out of her seat and walked in to the room with the team in it and started pulling out all of their IVs.

"What the hell are you doing?" he yelled.

"You think I am stupid? I have been following you. They are in Limbo now. Taking the IVs out will do nothing." She replied still packing the PASIV up.

"What the hell are you going to do?" he made an attempt to stop her but she punched him in the stomach. He stumbled backwards.

"Relocating. I have given my men the sign and they will be here in a minute to help me transport them," Arthur just stared at her, " Oh Arthur did you really think that I was here just to talk to you? You should really know better. Tisk. Tisk. I still have business to finish with you."

Just then five men burst into the room. Three of them grabbed the team and threw them over their shoulders and one of them came over to Arthur. He had a gun hidden under a jacket. The gun was pointed at his back, "You go quietly or we shoot them all," he told Arthur. Arthur nodded as he was shoved out of the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Time: Limbo, a confession, an escape.
> 
> WARNING: the next chapter does have implied non-con. Read at your own discretion.


	10. Collapse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> limbo, a confession, an escape

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: This chapter contains rape/non-con  
> It is at the the end and implied at the beginning. The beginning and end of each section is marked with three * (***) so you can easily skip over those parts if you chose.

When he came to he knew he wasn't in the hotel anymore and that was about it. He didn't remember much else. The walls were all concrete and so was the floor. He was sitting on a wooden chair with his wrists and ankles bound to it. Eames, Ariadne, and Cobb where all lying on the floor still hooked up to the PASIV. Ari… Shit, Maria brought them here. It was all coming back to him now. Maria is alive. Instinctively he struggled against the restraints. Much to his surprise he got out of them. It was almost as if they weren't there to actually hold him there. He ran over to Ariadne.

"Oh Ariadne. I will get us out of this I promise, even if it the last thing that I do."

The second he got out though he heard a creaking from behind the sole wooden door in the room. It burst open. He instinctively crouched down on front of the rest of the team, protecting them. In walked in Maria and two other males.

"Well Arthur how was your nap? Wait don't answer that. I don't care." Maria walked in, gun drawn pointed at Arthur's forehead.

"Why are you doing this Maria? What did I ever do to you? I loved you and you were the one that used me. You have no right to do this!"

"You think you were the only one hurt Arthur!" Maria yelled. The two other males tensed up, ready for a fight, "I love you and you just walked away after you thought I was dead! If you had taken the time to look you would have noticed it wasn't me! You just left Arthur, you left with the one who you thought killed me."

"Well I am sorry that I didn't want to pay close attention the woman who I thought was cheating on me in my own house," Maria inched closer to him. Every inch that she got closer to him, was an inch that he got closer to Ariadne, "I am sorry that I walked away from someone who cheated on me and used me. And you loving me is a load of bullshit. If you really loved me you would have found me."

"Okay Arthur you asked for it. Boys you can have her."

"What are you going to do to her?" For the first time the panic started to become apparent in his voice.

"Well what do you think?"

Arthur turned to Ariadne and kissed her. "Ariadne I am so sorry. I am so sorry. I will make sure you get out. Ariadne I am so sorry." He managed to kiss her one more time before the men pulled him off of her and tied him down for real to the chair and made him watch as they raped her.

***

It was getting worse. Ariadne hadn't realized how big she had made her replica of Paris. It has been a month already. Things weren't getting any better between her and Eames either. They barely talked. Both of them were tired of it but neither knew what to say so they stuck to not saying anything.

That was until they reached something that Ariadne had not put in, a forest.

"Why the bloody hell did you put this in?" asked Eames.

"I didn't. What does that mean?"

"That means that we have finally made some progress, love. We have found where what Cobb created starts."

"Wait Eames. This isn't right. I know where we are. I used to go hunting here with my grandfather."

"Then why the bloody hell would Cobb put this here?"

"You think I know?"

"You never finished telling the story." Eames said in a softer, almost seductive tone.

Ariadne knew what he was doing but she fell for it anyways. "I did, I just didn't tell you all the details. Do you want to know why I moved in with my grandparents? My mom died then my dad went to jail."

Eames stood speechless.

"My mom died when I was ten of brain cancer and ever since then my dad started making bad choices. He started doing drugs and getting mixed up with the wrong people. Eventually he got caught dealing and was put in prison. He is still there today in Middlesex County Prison. After that my grandparents got legal custody of me."

"Ariadne that is horrible. I am sorry that I brought it up."

"Oh I'm not done." She snapped. Eames was going to say something but snapped his mouth shut again when he saw the glare she was giving him.

She continued.

"A month after I moved in with my grandparents I caught my two year boyfriend cheating on me. You know who he was cheating on me with?"

"Your best friend?"

"Close but wrong. My best friend's mom! Her fucking mom! But you get your part too. He was screwing my friend too! And a year after that, my grandmother died in a car crash. A year after that my grandfather was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Two months later he accidentally killed himself with his gun while he was trying to figure out how to use it. Don't you give me any fucking bullshit Eames! You have no fucking idea how I hate myself for what I did to you. So please Eames, just this once, don't be yourself and just please, don't say anything."

She broke down crying. Eames caught her before she fell to the ground and held her close. He slowly sat down on the ground with out hurting Ariadne and held her in his lap as she ruined his shirt with salt stains.

Then he found it. Found what he had been looking for the past month. The Eifel Tower. This was where he saw them. The people he knew were his friends but for some reason he couldn't remember them.

He knew for a fact now that something wasn't right. Paris wasn't supposed to be here and he knew that his friends weren't dead despite that she saw them jump off the tower.

"Why can't I remember?" he yelled to the empty streets.

After Ariadne's break down things started to look up. They made it through the woods and on the other side they found another surprise. After everything though, this didn't shake them a bit, especially since Ariadne had been here before in a dream.

"What is this place?" Eames asked in wonder, referring to the massive city that they have come upon.

"This Mr. Eames, is Cobb's limbo."

Eames stared in awe. "This is what he created? Then why is it here?"

The answer came to Ariadne easily. "This isn't what I saw. The kick you gave us in the Fischer job destroyed what was originally his world and even before then it was falling apart. When he got stuck he was here for Saito so he wasn't on the shore he was deeper in limbo so he recreated it." She scanned the cityscape on front of her. "It seems almost exactly the same minus some of the collapsing buildings that were here."

"Darling if that is true, then does that mean that you know where Cobb would be?"

She jumped up and down. "Yes! Yes! Yes! I know exactly where he would be!"

"How long is it going to take to get there?"

"About a day."

"Lead the way, love."

Something was missing. He could tell by the view that this wasn't Paris; there was too much missing. From what he could see there were mostly the major points of Paris. There weren't the countless apartment buildings and only a few businesses. Then he saw it. H couldn't remember what it was but he knew that there was some important meaning to him about it but he couldn't remember. He descended down the Eifel Tower to remember.

Ariadne knew exactly where they needed to go due to the fact that she had been here before. The walk was also a lot more pleasant now that the invisible barrier that was looming between them was gone. Ariadne had a lot more confidence now to ask the questions that have been jumping around in her head about Eames.

"I know that look love. What do you want to know?"

Ariadne looked down as the pink was creeping up her cheeks.

"Come on darling. Reading people is my job so don't feel too bad." She looked up and there was a smile plastered on his face. Just the fact that he was smiling encouraged her. She loved to see him smile.

"How did you get into dream sharing?"

The smile fell from his face. She immediately regretted bringing it up. "You don't have to if you don't-"

"Ariadne it is fine. You can't help but being curious. There is just a little more than you may think."

She just looked at him, willing him to continue. He took the hint.

"My family is very," he paused, searching for the right word," detached, from each other. None of us were ever close. My parents had a lot of money. I basically grew up in a mansion. I could have anything that I wanted, but I hated it. I had a horrible child hood, trying to live up to my brother's reputation. When I didn't, I could feel the looming disappointment radiating off of my parents."

He didn't elaborate on what disappointed them and she was too shy to ask so she let him continue without interruption. "I got out of there as fast as I could. The second I turned eighteen I joined the military. After everything that happened in my childhood I was depressed. I threw myself into the fight. I was the best. That is how they found me. I was hand picked for a special division of the somnacin project. Where Arthur was they were manly using it to train soldiers but for me, they were training us to navigate people's minds.

"When the main project fell, we continued. We were the ones who found limbo and the concept of extraction. Eventually my division fell apart as more people left to pursue jobs in the business. Shortly after I left the project my father fell ill and died. I was forced to go home. Ever since I left after my father funeral I haven't been back since. The first team I worked on was put together by our employer."

Ariadne already knew where this was going.

"The team consisted of Arthur, Mal, and I. That is how I got into extraction!"

The story was slightly less than what Ariadne expected and they both knew that. They also both knew that Eames left details out. Yet again, they both knew she would never ask. She would wait for Eames to tell her if she was ready, if he was ever ready.

When he got there the big door was unlocked. He walked right in. What he saw was so familiar put he just couldn't place it. There were different workstations. There was one seemingly for a chemist, one with a computer and a bunch of files, one with pictures of different people, one with different mazes and models, and one blank desk in the corner. He was drawn to it.

He walked over in inspected it. The only thing on it was a metal brief case. He opened it. Once he saw what it was it all came back to him this was a PASIV.

Flashback

"Don't lose yourself. Find Saito and bring him back!" she yelled over the thunder and wind.

"I will!" he yelled back before she dropped off the edge.

"We'd be together forever. You promised me." a dying mal whispered.

"I know but we can't. And I am sorry." He whispered back, stroking her hair.

"You remember when you asked me to marry you?" she asked. "You said you dreamt we would grow old together."

"And we did." He replied.

He thinks back to the first time he was in limbo with Mal. They grew old and died together.

"I miss you more than I can bear… but we had our time together. And now I have to let you go." He lets a single tear fall from his eye. He held Mal as she died.

He woke up on a shore. A Japanese security guard dragged him into a dinning hall in a Japanese mansion. Cobb wolfs down the food that is placed on front of him. An elderly man watches him, waits.

"Have you come to kill me?" the elderly man asks.

Cobb slowly looks up from his food.

"I have been waiting for someone to come for me…" the elderly man continues.

"Someone from your half-remembered dream?" Cobb says. He is surprised as the words leave his mouth.

The old man stares at him, analyzing him. "Cobb? Not possible. He and I were young men together. I am an old man."

"Filled with regret."

The old man stares at Cobb in recognition. Cobb remembers too. He came here to bring this man back. This man is Saito.

"Waiting to die alone, yes." Saito continues.

Cobb stares at the top on the table. "I can back for you. I came to remind you of what you once knew."

The top is still spinning. He and Saito gaze at the world around them. "This world is not real." Cobb continues.

"You came to convince me to honor our arrangement."

"Yes." Cobb nods his head. "And to take a leap of faith."

Both of their gazes drift to the gun next to Saito. They both nod. Saito reaches for the gun. Cobb takes it and shoots Saito between the eyes then shoots himself in the head.

End Flashback

If he shot himself then why is he still here? He should be back in the real world and not here. It should have kicked him out. The Fischer job was a success. The only thing wrong here is him. Then everything around him started to collapse.

Just after the sunset they found it. They found the building the contained Cobb and Mal's house. As they walked through Eames admired the Architecture.

"This is bloody amazing. And their house is on a level of this?"

"Yes. When they built this they loved this style of building but wanted a house. Since they were in limbo, they could have both." Ariadne explained.

They got off at the ninth floor.

"Wow darling, you weren't joking!"

"Well why would I?"

They looked around. "He isn't here."

"Then where the hell is he?" she asked.

Just as she said that, the world around them started collapsing.

When he woke up again he was on the shore of his subconscious, again. Except this time he wasn't alone. He was greeted by the sight of Ariadne and Eames in the water not too far from him. He struggled to get up. Eames was the first one up. He bound over to Cobb and tackled him back into the water.

Ariadne's high-pitched laugh was music to his ears. "Eames let him up!"

"Sorry Cobb," Eames apologized though not looking sorry at all, "I am just so bloody happy to see you!"

"Do you mind me asking what is going on here?" He asked the two.

"We have just as much idea as you do Cobb. Now how do we get out of here?" Ariadne asked.

"I have a good idea," interrupted Eames, "how bout that nice tower we have used before."

***

She woke up with a gasp. Arthur screamed louder. Begging with all that he has. She can't wake up to this. The rest of them were waking up too.

"Please stop! Please don't do this to her!" he yelled kicking against his restraints. He had to get up and help her. The male that wasn't holding him down was on top of her, undressing her. The only thing standing in-between them are her thin panties. His lips and hands wandering all over her body... under her panties... her mouth on her breasts...

***

She let out a blood-curdling scream. The second that Cobb and Eames heard this and figured out what happened they were ripping their IVs out and pulling the man off her. She was still screaming.

The second that the male that was holding him loosened his grip he stood up in the chair and whacked him in the face with legs rendering the male unconscious. He smashed down one more time on the male to make sure he was out and to break the chair. Arthur was successful.

He ripped the gun out of the male's jacket. Arthur and Maria pointed the guns at each other. Two shots were fired. Two people fell down dead, one male, one female. Maria and the second male are now dead. Ariadne was still screaming but now her head was resting in Arthur's lap. He held her close, rocking her back and forth as her screams turned into desperate sobs.

They all watched her with worry in their eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story only has 2 more chapters. Every time i try to update that in the description it changes it back to a ? for some reason. There are going to be a total of 12 chapters in this story.
> 
> Next time: an escape, a confrontation, a surprise


	11. She's Not Gone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> an escape, a confrontation, a surprise

The confrontation in the basement may be over but they don't know if there is anyone else in the house or where they even are. The only thing that Arthur wanted to be doing now was comforting Ariadne but if this meant they got out alive then this is what he had to do.

"Well Cobb," Eames started, "It is bloody wonderful to have you back and if we all make it out of this mess alive I'm taking all of us out to drinks, on me."

"Well like you said Eames, lets focus on getting out of here alive first." He paused.

They all turned to Ariadne with worry in their eyes. In basic terms she had just been raped on front of them and they had just barely been able to stop her attackers. It is bound to leave a long-lasting mental scar.

"Ariadne." He tried to be as gentle as possible, keeping some distance. "We need to get out of here. I want you to stay behind Cobb," he looked at both of them as he said that. "If it gets bad he will protect you. Okay?"

They both nodded.

"Okay lets go. Eames, behind me, then Cobb and Ariadne."

Eames came over to him. "Maybe I should take front."

This angered Arthur. "Do you not think I am capable?"

Eames face softened. "You are perfectly capable but I'm not sure Ariadne will make it through this if anything happens to you."

"Why are you doing this? She left you for me."

"Because I want her to be happy." He replied softly.

"Change of plans. Eames has front. Ariadne you are going to be between Cobb and me incase someone comes from behind. Got it?" He told the team.

They all nodded. "Eames."

He cautiously opened the door. There were stairs with a closed door at the top. They slowly tiptoed up, not making a sound. When they reached the door, the three men drew their guns. Maria had not been very thorough. What had been her intensions? He knew for a fact that she was smarter than that. Eames cautiously twisted the knob and slowly opened the door. Clear so far.

Arthur and Eames quickly surveyed the house and made there way to what seemed like the front door all the while creating a protective barrier around Ariadne, guns always ready to shot any potential threat. There was none. Arthur kicked the front door open. The light blinded them. They were in a suburban area just outside of LA. You could see LA from the front lawn. There was one car in the driveway. It was a small 1996 Toyota Camry. The fit was a little smug with the three big men. Arthur hotwired the car and they were off.

"Where are we going?" Arthur asked.

"I have a safe house just incase something happened and Miles needed to take the kids some where safe. We should go there. "

He rattled off an address in North LA. It was going to take an hour or so to get there. The men rode in comfortable silence while Ariadne slept against the window the whole way there.

They got to the safe house a little after four in the afternoon. It was an average sized house. The exterior was an off white color with a slightly darker garage to hide the car. The house has three bedrooms, two and a half baths. It was a nice cozy cottage that seemed out of place and all too innocent. There was definitely more too it than met the eye. It was under video surveillance and had a security system that would be harder to get past than any bank in the area. Cobb and Eames went in first to power up the security while Arthur carefully picked up Ariadne without waking her and carried her into the house.

Arthur held her in one hand, careful not to jostle her too much as he used the other hand to close and lock the door behind him. Just as he finished Cobb came up the stairs from the basement.

"Eames is downstairs setting up the security. You and Ariadne can take the master bedroom, up the stairs the last door on the right. She will want to be with you. She may not say it but she needs you to be there when she wakes up. Don't push her. She will talk about it when she is ready. Just be there in anyway she needs you." Cobb spoke softly trying not to disturb the sleeping architect.

Arthur nodded and carefully walked up the stairs to the room that Cobb described and opened the door. It was a decent sized room with sea green walls and a king sized. The room had it's own bathroom. He laid Ariadne down on the bed. There was a careful knocking on the door. Arthur stepped out and was greeted by the sight of Eames.

"How is she?"

"Still asleep. I just laid her down on the bed. I'm hoping she has a few more hours before she wakes up and has to deal with what happened to her."

"You never know, reality might be better than what it is in her dreams right now. Anyways, the security system is online and I am going back to the hotel to clean up any traces of us being there."

"Be careful."

"I will."

Their conversation was interrupted by a blood-curdling scream. Arthur ran back into the room where Ariadne was screaming and slashing in the bed, still asleep. He quickly ran over to her side of the bed, trying to wake her up.

"Ariadne, its okay. It was just a dream. Ariadne please wake up, it was just a dream."

Her screams turned into sobs. She was awake.

"I-I-it felt so real." She sobbed.

"Shhhhh. It's okay Ariadne. I am here. It's okay."

"P-p-please don't leave me," she managed between sobs.

"Don't worry Ariadne," he said climbing next to her on the bed, "I'm not going anywhere."

He wrapped himself around her and let her cry into his chest. They both lay like that until they both were sound asleep.

* * *

She moaned. Everything hurt like hell but I guess that is what a bullet wound to the shoulder does to you. Her plan was falling right into place. She didn't care about the other two being dead. They were just players in her games. She knew that when it came down to it Arthur couldn't kill her. He would never be able to. Now she just has to wait. She will come back and get Arthur right in the heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter is the last one!
> 
> Next Time: a rush, a twist, an almost ending


	12. It's Not Over

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a rush, a twist, an almost ending

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that it took so long to post but here is the last chapter!

He was sitting in the living room in the safe house. Things were starting to get better but it was still hard. He grew old in Limbo just to come back as a young man. He has lived two full lives and half of his first. He has gone through more than any man should in one life time. He saw his children grow old and go through life, now just to see them young again. It was going to take a lot of getting used to but he is back now with his children, thanks to the help of Ariadne, he can finally move on.

Ariadne, that was another tough one. He woke up from being lost in Limbo just to see her getting raped. It was hard, she is like a daughter to him. He knew she wasn't okay now but she is strong and has Arthur. She will be okay soon.

Now he was just making sure their tracks were covered, but them something didn't look right.

"Eames, go get Arthur."

"Why? He is asleep with Ariadne. Can't this wait until morning?"

"No," Cobb told Eames harshly, "get him now."

"Okay," replied Eames, now a little worried.

It seemed Eames couldn't get Arthur fast enough. Cobb could't stop fidgeting. There was now way that this could be right. It happened right on front if his eyes. there was no way the information on the screen was right. Finally.

"Cobb, what the hell?" Arthur asked groggily, "I was asleep. Why couldn't this wait until morning?"

"That is what i bloody said!"

"Arthur, when the police got to the house, there were no bodies there."

This seemed to wake up Arthur, "What the fuck do you mean?"

"I mean that someone there survived, and the thugs would't have taken any bodies, unless somebody was trying to cover their tracks."

"Your saying-" Arthur started before Cobb interrupted.

"Maria isn't dead."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took so long to post this last chapter. I have had this fic finished for over a year but i honestly just forgot that i never finished posting it on here. I had originally had the whole thing written and posted on fanfiction.net. 
> 
> There is an AU sequel that I had started writing which is basically just an AU of this story. I have the first chapter and part of the second chapter written for it but I am yet to decide if I am going to continue it.
> 
> Thank you so much for reading and sorry again for taking so long to post the last chapter!

**Author's Note:**

> This whole fic is already written. Critique would still be good because i am always looking for ways to better my writing and edit this fic. 
> 
> This was my first fanfic.


End file.
